Danger in the Shower: 2008 Forum Looks at Hot Water

On average, water heating accounts for 15% of residential energy consumption. In the past few years, there has been an explosion of interest in meeting domestic hot water needs more efficiently. New hot-water-generating technologies, structured plumbing approaches, new demand reduction devices (for example, improved showerheads), and programs for stimulating market uptake of new approaches are all being discussed by individual communities of interest, with limited dialogue among them. In order to foster the dialogue and explore the issues associated with hot water, the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) sponsored an important conference on this topic in June 2008 in Sacramento, California.
One of the many topic areas covered at the conference was that of domestic showers and shower systems. Presentations were focused on the current standards development work under way by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) standards committee, the EPA WaterSense program, and others; the current market trends in domestic shower systems; and the technical aspects of the plumbing systems designed to protect people who take showers from thermal shock and scalding.
This conference was of particular importance to the water and energy utilities, because these groups had expressed concern over the new low flow rates on ...